Love's Austere
by CayCay1996
Summary: Jessamine has lost everything. First the man she loves and then her parents, when she is called back to La Push to take care of her baby sister Claire will there be anyway for her heart to be mended? Will a certain temperamental playboy wolf change her for the better or for the worse? PaulxOC
1. Prologue

Nathan's hand brushed my cheek gently and I sobbed leaning my cheek into his hand, my head shoulders racking in trembles. "P-please stay with me." I cried and he kissed my forehead gently his sad smile was present n his face as I looked up into his beautiful blue eyes. Despair ran through my body and I could feel my knees trembling as they lost their strength and I slid down the closet wall he had tucked us into.

"I don't have a choice baby." He whispered against my hairline as he crouched down infront of me. My heart crumbled in my chest I sobbed leaning forward as he held me tight in his arms and whispered in my ear. "I love you, Jessamine." His words were slow each one stabbing deep into me and tearing me apart. My knees curled up into my chest and he grabbed under my chin gently and brought his lips to mine melting me with a slow loving kiss. A goodbye kiss.

I could taste my tears mixing in with our lips as he pulled back from me and stood up. "Be silent, Jess and be strong." He murmured and he walked out of the door slowly creaking it shut but I could see clearly through a tiny sliver of a crack in the closet doors.

The bedroom door bust open and a beautiful pale woman with firey hair walked in with a coy smile playing upon her lips. "Knock, knock." She looked around the room spotting Nathan but still looking over every crevice and frowned. "Where is she?" The woman snarled. I could feel my body shiver as fear ran down my spine and the tears were still running steadly down my cheeks. Everyone else in these moments were heroines. They would jump out just in time and save the love of their life and kill the enemy.

But I wasn't stupid, I would jump out and I would die. Then Nathan's last thoughts of me would be disappointed because I had stupidly wasted his own life. He was sacrificing himself to keep me safe.

I held back the sobs that were racking my shoulders and it felt as if a weight had been pushing down on my chest as the tears wouldn't stop. What person could cry this hard and for this long? It seemed impossible as if my eyes would never dry up and I would be consumed in ever present tears. If we had just known sooner she was coming we could have left, but we hadn't known and there hadn't been time. This wasn't a fairytale where everyone was happy and they all got the amazing life they deserved, this was reality and it hurt as it reached its cold hand and grasped your stability shaking it until there was nothing left but a heap of a person.

Victoria was fast in Nathan's face and a deadly calm took over her voice. "Where is she?" She asked again. Nathan sneered at her and spit in her face. My breathing stopped, and time stood still. I could try to help I could save him. I wanted to believe I could be the hero but as Victoria leaned in like a cobra readying to strike her fangs sharpened and dug deep into Nathan's neck hitting an artery. Blood spurted everywhere and it took everything in me not to throw up.

She threw his limpless body to the floor and blood started to seap under the closet door and pooled in the floor around me slowly drenching my bare legs and feet. I curled tighter into my self silent and my heart wanted to stop. How could I live without Nathan? His bright smile infiltrated my mind and I could remember the kisses he would smother me in whenever he seen me. His lips would never kiss me again. I could feel the warmth radiating off of his body when I crawled into bed beside him at night and now there would be no warmth. Nathan was gone. My mind started betraying me the more the blood seeped through the door.

"_I love you Jessamine."_

_Nathan._

"_Jessamine you are my world."_

_Nathan._

"_Jess stop teasing me."_

_Nathan._

_His arms picking me up and kissing me as he spun my around._

_Nathan._

I almost cried out, I wouldn't have cared if she fund me in that moment but then another man appeared in the room and his eyebrow cocked up as if he was bored but interested in the scene he had walked in upon. "Do I want to know?" He asked lazily sitting down on mine and Nathan's bed lounging back lazily.

Victoria ripped a pillow in half in frustration and sighed as if she was the one who had been wrong. "James always played his games so well." She pouted. "I get aggravated and slightly trigger happy." She groaned leaning back on the bed. "I had leads on a girl who lived a town over from Bella. I wanted to torture her before killing Bella. I wanted her to see my pain." The man looked over at her and his gaze was thoughtful before he answered.

"Why would some petty life matter to her?" He shrugged. Bella? What did Bella have to do with this?

"Oh Laurent." She smiled at him and shook her head, "They were childhood friends. It would have been fun. James would have appreciated it." She paused and her brow furrowed. "I am confused though. The Cullens have left her and as much as I want to run to kill her. I know I want to make a performance. I want it all to be perfect. So I have to wait. I have to wait until the perfect opportunity presents itself to me." Laurent looked at her startled for a moment before replying.

"They left the girl alone?" He asked quizzical. Victoria's gaze snapped to his narrowing slightly as she nodded.

"Don't get any bright ideas. She is mine."

I began tuning them out my eyes wondering to Nathan, and once they left I crawled out of the closet and numbly laid beside his cold lifeless body. The tears stained my face and I could feel a new onslaught of them pouring down my face as I touched his cold cheek gently. "Please come back to me."


	2. The Imprint

"Jess, pwease I'm hungee." Claire whined. I looked down at my two year old sister and smiled softly at her while I gave her cut up strawberries. I have always adored kids and looked forward to having them but after my parents deaths and Nathan's death two months ago the prospect of having a child was becoming unappealing. Claire smiled up at me strawberry juice running down her chin as she stuffed her face.

I had moved to La Push about a week ago and Claire had been staying with Emily, my aunt until I had gotten my affairs in order and moved into my parents old house and if I was being honest the only person who really knew I was here was Emily. I wanted to keep it that way. La Push was great and all but it was small, the moment everyone knew I was here I would never get any peace. Not to mention I preferred it just being Claire and me. She was adorable and consumed my attention 24|7. She made it easy to forget the pain. A lump rose in my throat as I grabbed Claire's shoes and slipped them on her feet. "Are you ready to go to the beach today?" I asked smiling at her. She nodded enthusiastically but couldn't exactly speak around her strawberries. I watched her swallow and she clapped her hands. "Uncle Quil be there?" She asked. I looked at her puzzled for a moment. She kept mentioning this Uncle Quil and it was really starting to freak me out since I had no idea who the hell that was. I had to make a note t ask Emily. I had left La Push when I was 16, convinced that I was ready to be on my own. It had been hard the first year or so until I met Nathan and everything kind of fell into place for me.

_Nathan. _A lump rose in my throat and I swallowed it down painfully. I was now 20 and counting down the days until my 21st birthday not that it would probably be much fun now that I was raising Claire but we would find something to do. We always did.

She started racing for the door and I easily caught her swinging her on my hip as she pouted. "Sissy never let me opwen door." She huffed. I sighed rolling my eyes and leaned her down so she could open the door for us and she giggled swinging her hands around as we stepped out of the house.

We lived right off of the beach so the walk down wasn't too bad as I tried to contain a squirming Claire but she honestly wasn't having any of it, she just wanted t run around. I waited until we were off the rocky part of the beach and I set her down gently. Boom! Just like that the girl was running off. I chased after her and she giggled running around and playing some odd tag game where only I was it even if I did manage to pick her up and tickle her. Which I did the first time and she disqualified me and said I was cheating.

Spoiled little princess. I laughed as she started playing in the sand and I looked at the waves. They were a pretty safe distance from her and I watched tide roll in just a squeal pierced the air. I turned around to see Claire running towards some tall man and I ran fast after her picking her up just in time before she made it to him. The man had had his arms open wide to her and I eyed him warily. His face was familiar but I clutched Claire close despite the jolt of familiarity that ran through me.

"Jessamine? Is that really you?" I kept my gaze on him not showing him any emotion as I nodded softly and he laughed pulling me into a hug that I stiffened into. "Look guys! Jess is back!": The man turned to look at me again and Claire squirmed her body around and reached for the guy whimpering.

"Uncle Quil." She whined and thats when it clicked to me. Little Quil. I had played with him as a kid and I smiled up at him while Claire practically lunged at the boy. "Oh my God Quil its been too long." The boy I remembered had been all scrawny legs and arms. We had always been best friends Quil, Embry, Jacob and me. I smiled looking behind him where I could see Jacob and Embry jogging over and I felt happiness spread through me. I had been so lonely without mom or dad. It had been me and Claire thats it. Actually seeing familiar faces was more refreshing then I thought it would be. I smiled pulling Jake into a tight hug before turning to Embry and hugging him even though he deemed it necessary picking me up and twirling me around.

I giggled hugging him tighter as he set me down on the ground and I looked at the boys around me. "Its been so long." I said to no one and all of them at once. Claire was patting Quil's cheek and she pinched it gently. "Sissy Jessie say who Uncle Quil? He bad boy? How I know him?" She looked exasperated and I snorted at her. Little tattle tale.

Quil look at me with a fake hurt in his eyes and stepped back offended. "I used to think of you as my sister and you forgot about me?" He exaggerated.I elbowed him and ignored his comment turning to Embry and Jake.

"Okay, so seriously guys where did the gazillion ab muscles and height come from. I used to be the tallest one here." It was true I've always had height. I had finally stopped growing at the height of 5'10 and still these guys towered over me, it wasn't something I was completely used to. Embry waggled his eyebrows at me and smiled.

"Why? You finally realizing how much you want all of this?" He gestured to his body and I punched him in the shoulder snorting with laughter. I had to grab my sides with tears coming to my eyes and Embry puffed up. "Okay okay princess calm your ass I was a little serious." I looked up at him and seen that he was joking but there was a little pain and I straightened up my spine holding back my laughter. Embry had a little crush on me when we were kids and apparently the attraction was still there. Embry was probably about 17 now and I did the math in my head to make sure I was right. Even though 4 years wasn't that bad when you were in your twenties it was when someone in the equation was still a teen.

Plus Embry was adorable but not in a romantic way. At least not in my opinion. "Awe take a joke Em." I smirked and butt his shoulder with mine. He grinned down at me tickling my sides making me squirm and shriek. God I hated tickling. I swung my way out of his arms reach and Claire was cracking up.

"See how much you wike it sissy." Why that little- I stuck my tongue out at her blowing a raspberry and she did the same before Quil chuckled jogging her up and down and looked at me incredulous. "Your worse than a two your old." He playfully jested. I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Am not." I defended. Wow, lame Jess so freaking lame. Quil just smirked like his point had been made while Jacob and Embry busted into laughter. Well it seemed like somethings never changed. So me being horrible with comebacks was a definite one of them that I needed to work on. I sighed but I couldn't fight a grin that spread over my face. I had missed these boys.

**Paul's POV**

I jogged alongside the ocean looking for stupid Jacob and his idiot gang since apparently they couldn't keep track of time so we could all switch out patrols. I could see Jacob and Quil facing towards me but they were looking over at a girl who had her back to me. I tried to see if I could recognize her from behind which was a major negative. I would have remembered an ass like that. She was wearing black leggings that only emphasized her long legs and perfect ass. Her shirt was a crop top and I could read the words _Think like a boss. _On the back of of her shirt. I could see two back dimples that almost made me want to thank God he had created women with such beauty.

Then Rachel popped in my mind. Shit. I was dating Jacob's sister and I seriously was openly thinking of some other chick's ass. Given it was perfect but still. I had told the guys I was actually trying serious for a change rather than a slew of one night stands. To be perfectly honest it didn't look like I was ever going t imprint anyways so serious dating really wouldn't kill me.

Rachel was pretty enough and she was pretty sweet. I didn't love her or anything but I definitely liked her. The girl turned around as if she had maybe felt my stare and something stopped in that moment when her eyes met mine. Her beautiful green eyes. My world was perfect, everything was perfect, she was the objection that perfection radiated off of. She was beautiful and my heart swelled as I felt a since of grounding after all of the shit I dealt with. I actually felt like I was home.

Shit. That was when two things hit me. First and foremost I had imprinted on this girl. It was painfully obvious and as she turned away from me smiling over at Embry I felt a rage of jealousy try to consume me. I had literally just started liking things with Rachel so this shit of course happened at the most perfect timing since now every bone in my body was telling me Rachel was so not my type anymore.

The second thing hit me with a strange feeling accompanying it. I knew that girl, with her emerald green eyes and high cheekbones. Her hair a beautiful deep brown had been pulled into a fishtail braid hanging over one shoulder. She had a slim waist with curvy hips and chest. I would know that beauty anywhere.

Jessamine Ellia Lonie. She was Claire's older sister we had gone to high school together and Jess was probably the only girl who never fell for my shit, that was what had always made her so interesting. I was Paul Lahote, girls wanted me. Always. But whenever I tried to pull a move on Jess she either laughed me off or told me off and really I never knew which bothered me more, but it always kept me coming. That is until the day she left the Rez.

She must have come back for Claire now that her parents were attacked. Not that she knew it was vampires. It had been listed as an animal attacking but the pack knew better and because of it we felt like shit. How could we let two of our own die? How could we not have saved them? Poor Claire was going to grow up without a mother now. All she really had was Jess.

As if Claire could hear my thoughts I watched as she reached for Jess, her small arms moving impatiently until Jess turned her attention to Claire and picked her out of Quil's arms who looked slightly disappointed. Claire laid a sloppy kiss on Jess cheek and they all started laughing as Jess wiped it off and kissed Clarie's forehead.

Jessamine turned again her eyes locking with mine one last time as she gripped a sleepy Claire tighter and turned away hugging the guys which by Claire's high pitched whine she definitely didn't like. To be perfectly fucking honest I agreed with the little girl. The least these fucking guys could do is keep their slimy hands off of my imprint. Claire yawned cuddling deeper into Jess who was now making her way up the rocky slope, disappearing from my vision. I felt my body ache to go after her, or for her to turn around one last time but she didn't she made her way up whispering in Claire's ear as she walked.

I had imprinted. It had finally happened to me. I had imprinted on Jessamine and I knew when I decided to tell Rachel I would have one pissed off girlfriend to answer to.

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**This is the beginning I know it's not the easiest to start into because of course everyone wants to get to the juicy parts but please review, follow, favorite. I have so much planned for this story and I'm expecting great things from it so trust me it will be good. Any suggestions or thoughts please let me know. I love hearing feedback. **


	3. Hide and Seek

I jumped off of the couch and did my victory dance as Jake through his controller on the floor and jumped up glaring at me. "You cheated!" He growled shaking his head at me. I stuck my tongue out at him and shook my butt again at him just to show how much I cared about his sore losing.

"Sissy, won and Uncle Jakey loser." Claire declared. She wore a plastic tiara and a matching plastic wand. She had insisted that she was the 'fairy princess ruler' and we were her 'adorable derpy subjects which ultimately meant no more my little pony for her because she was beginning to take it a little bit too far. Jake looked at Claire as if she were crazy and was about to argue but Quil scooped her up in his arms sitting her own his lap and glared at Jacob. "Leave it Jake she's just a kid."

Claire grinned at Jake and threw her wand hitting him in the face and I snorted with laughter sitting back down on the couch beside Embry. "Would you like to go against me?" I asked him batting innocent eyes up at Embry. He elbowed me in the side, shaking his head incredulous before asking, "How did you know about all the glitches in this game?"

"Nathan-" I stopped then, not able to finish my sentence aloud. _Nathan had been a video game designer. _All of the laughter had died on my lips and I could feel that dreaded lump rise again in my throat. I had done so well lately not mentioning him or thinking about him. It was harder not thinking of my parents but I had managed that pretty well too. It was like when I was with the guys I could push back those thoughts. It had been a couple days since we had met up at the beach and every day since then they have become regular routines of my life. They had helped me unpack most of my things and move everything of my parents to the basement. They had made my home feel more like a home rather than a mausoleum. Embry looked over at me curiously as if waiting for me to finish my sentence.

"Who's Nathan?" He asked. I could feel my face drain of all color. I hadn't mentioned him in all this time for a reason. I wasn't ready to talk about him because if I did then that would mean that he was really gone and he really wasn't coming back and I don't think I could handle that right now.

"No one." I responded vaguely as the door opened and Bella walked in with a hesitant smile on her lips. I could feel my body tense at conflict with itself. A part of my was glad she was here it meant that all that attention from my Nathan slip up would dissipate but she also made me extremely uncomfortable after what happened that night, when the world took Nathan away from me. I couldn't say I blamed her but I didn't really trust her either. Jacob stood up and smiled at Bella pulling her in for a hug but her attention drew to me and a clumsy smile lit up her face as she ran to me practically throwing herself in my lap. I wrapped my arms around her instinctively as I trained to gain my balance.

"Oh my God Jessamine it is you! Jake said you were here but I didn't take him seriously." She gushed as she squeezed me again. I patted her back a feeling of awkward unease worming through me. She was still as sweet as ever it seemed. I pulled her back a little bit and moved away from her lap nearly putting me in Embry's.

"Yeah its me." I said softly and gently as if trying to calm down an excited puppy. Jake plopped down beside Bella and jabbed her lightly in the side. "Jeez Bells its good to see you too." He muttered. She turned towards him giving Jake exactly what he had been looking for. Her undivided attention. I started tuning them out as Claire waddled over to me and climbed in my lap. I smiled down at her and she kissed my nose, standing on my lap. "Sissy I wanna gwow up and be pretty princess like you." Her face was so angelic and serene it was hard not to laugh. I tucked her hair behind her ear gently and cupped her cheek kissing her forehead.

"You are going to grow up and be one hundred times prettier than I could ever be." I told her honestly and it was true. Claire had beautiful soft curling black hair with pretty hazel eyes to g along with them. She would be a heartbreaker one day. Claire smiled at me and jumped on my lap. "Really? You mean it?" She asked excited. Her eyes were big saucers of wonder, everything was so perfect for her right now. I nodded to her seriously and she squealed hugging me tight around the neck.

Embry looked over at me with an odd seriousness in his eyes, "Your going to make a great mom one day." The compliment caught me off guard and I looked at him for a moment without really seeing him. Being twenty I didn't really think of kids that often, not that I didn't want them or anything but I definitely was content until I was about twenty five or so. I shook my head at him and bumped his shoulder lightly.

"Maybe one day but right now, Claire is all I can handle." I admitted. She was buried deep int the crook of my neck and I had to hold her up cradling her as she began to drift asleep. I brushed her hair back from her and leaned back a little further on the couch. "I'm basically a mom now." I murmured looking over at Embry. He nodded and smiled at me.

"Yeah I guess you really are." He agreed. It was then that Bella sighed and caught my attention.

"Is something wrong?" I asked her with a furrowed brow. Her eyes looked deflated when she turned them on me and she bit her lip. Despite my unease with Bella seeing her look so depressed was worrying. She was just a happy little bunny thing a moment ago. I held back a chuckle, bunny thing. Ugh I was so funny sometimes.

Not really I was pretty lame. "Its just Edward." She began. She pulled her knees up to her chest and leaned her cheek on them as she watched me with Claire. "Its like no one really understands how I feel. He's left and I feel utterly alone. How could he just leave?" She said softly. Her eyes found mine and I looked at her sympathetically.

"I know how it feels Bella-" I began.

"No, no you don't. Everyone says that and its like a way they try to comfort someone but in reality you don't and no one really does get it. We had this connection this sense of having a forever. You don't know what its like to have ripped away from you." She sighed and I felt anger boil up inside of me. I gently passed Claire to Quil and set a hard leveled stare at Bella.

"Don't you dare tell me what I do and do not understand." I could hear the door open again but I was beyond the point of caring as I stood up and glared down at Bella. "The world does not revolve around you. Your not the only one who feels hurt and abandoned so how dare you make the people who care about you and want to help feel so helpless." Jake growled at me and stood up taking a step closer to me. But I held my ground strong as he snarled. "Don't ever fucking talk to her like that."

I was about to argue back when suddenly I felt someone push me back and I was stumbling. Paul was standing in front of me his eyes boring into Jacob's as his body trembled in fury. "Watch it." He growled.

Paul Lahote the guy who was currently defending me was also the guy who was kind of creeping me out. Well maybe that wasn't the right word. He was just odd really. Ever since this weird stare down at the beach he's just kind of been on my list of people I wouldn't associate with while I was here. Jake shoved Paul and he barely moved but a threatening growl ripped through the air. As if my body was reacting on instinct I gripped Paul's hand hard and tugged him back.

He barely moved an inch and I tugged harder, "Paul come on. He's not worth it." It seemed like my words are what snapped him out of his anger and he looked at me confused for a moment and glared back at Jake. I started leading Paul out of the house and he resisted at first, his body trembling and a glare in his eyes that kind of terrified me while keeping me oddly fascinated.

It was as we were out of Jake's house and I had started leading us off the trail into the woods that I finally broke the silence that had fallen upon us. "So what was that all about?" I asked him. My whole idea was maybe this walk would cool him down and s far so good actually. Paul looked down at me and I got the same feeling I had had at the beach, this feeling of calmness and a warm feeling tingling through me. I shook my head and looked at the forest surrounding us as we walked.

"Jake had no right." He said simply at my confused look and furrowed eyebrow he chuckled. "He had no right to talk to you the way he did or even get mad. Everything you said to Bella was the truth. He just had his head up his ass." I burst out laughing but he was looking at me serious. It was true Jake had been defensive and I wasn't laughing because I thought he was wrong I was laughing because I had thought the same exact thing.

"Anyway." I began. "Look that was sweet and all but I had it covered. I can handle myself." Paul looked at me surprised and a chuckle made its way out of my throat. "I'm serious. I really can." The sky was darkening to shades of purple and it seemed like a long time passed before Paul said anything.

"What if I wanted to protect you?" He asked.

"There was no need. Jake wouldn't have hurt me."

"But he could have. He looked like he wanted to."

"No he really did not."

"Um yes he really did." His own temper flared up and I looked over at him irked. I think I knew my best friend better than he did. Jacob had a temper and he was protective but as far as hurting me? I don't think he could ever really do it. But obviously from the adamant look on Paul's face he begged to differ.

"This is childish. I am not going to argue with you about this. I know what Jake would or wouldn't have done and I know damn well I don't need some playboy taking up for me." With each word I took a step closer to him until I was in his personal space. A mix of lust, indignation, shock, and pure anger rolled through his eyes and he turned around storming off.

"You know what fine Jess. You don't need my help anyway. Find your own damn way home." He yelled walking off. I almost took a step to follow him but my bride was screeching at me and I stayed back where I was.

"Fine I will Lahote!" I yelled and stomped off in the opposite direction he had gone. Who needed that douche anyway? He was just a straight asshole. _But he was sexy. _I shook my head and scoffed. Paul Lahote was sexy there was no denying it but his arrogant little quirks knocked him from a solid ten to a sketchy three at best. I snorted and rolled my eyes looking up at the moon as it swam up in the sky. Stupid stupid Paul. I looked around not quiet sure where I was. Damn it.

"Are you lost?" A dreadfully familiar voice asked. She wasn't real. It wasn't real your just having another nightmare, but nightmare or not I couldn't stop my body from turning around and there she was. It was the same woman who had killed Nathan. I stumbled back a step and she smiled suddenly appearing much closer than she was before.

A cold sensation of fear tugged at my chest and a bright smile spread over the womans face. "Don't worry sweetheart I haven't come to kill you. No, not at all." She said shaking her head and cupping my chin. "You are going to be my messenger." I felt my heart sink, I was staring death in the face, this would be the end of me.

She reached forward and with a swift motion my shirt was ripped from my shoulders. I tried to back away but she held me firmly still with one hand as she tied the remains of my shirt around my wrists so hard I could feel it bruising.

A strange humming filled the clearing and I noticed it was her. This weird ass bitch was humming a cheerful song as she planned my death. She stepped closer to me and I spit in her face forcing myself back and she hissed pushing me to the ground. "Do not fucking tempt me." She snarled. "For that I will give you another hinderance." I heard another tear of fabric and before I could stop her I was being blindfolded and pulled up to my feet. I opened my mouth to speak and a cloth was stuck deep into my mouth making me cough and choke.

"Here's how this game works." She whispered, her voice floating around me and fear sizing me with a deadly hold. "You run and hide, and we race to find you." We? Who the hell is we? "If I find you first, you become dinner, but if they do." She was quiet for a moment a small laugh sounding around me. "Then I suppose you get to be the one thing that terrifies Bella. You'll be my sign that I am coming. I haven't decided yet weather or not it will be funner if she has a sense of the fact that I might come or if its a total surprise and this game was so much more fun than flipping a coin." I was going to die. Tonight I was going to be fucking dinner for this freak. I couldn't see or use my hands to feel around.

This wasn't even a fight for my life. "Now Jessamine. "She murmured in my ear. "This is the part where you run."

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**I do not own Twilight. I've been meaning to mention that :P Also. Reviews? Yes please. I would love to hear some more feedback. Follows and favorites? Always your choice even though it is quiet inspiring for me. (:**


	4. Falling

**Paul****'s POV**

She seriously argued with me? Was she crazy? It honestly seemed to me that no matter what I said to Jess she would always have a comment back. She was like that in high school and she apparently was the same today. After imprinting on her at the beach I had tried to keep my distance and think through all this. I didn't know what to do. Its not like I thought it would be okay just to walk up to her and tell her. 'hey I imprinted on you do you want to get together or nah?'

Yeah. I snorted, that sure as hell wouldn't have gone over well. Then today I decide to go to Jacob's. I knew she would be there and the whole point was to maybe start talking to her in a more normal setting. I wasn't going to tell her about the imprint anytime soon. I didn't want her to think she was forced to be with me for any reason. This way if we became friends through Jacob, Embry, and Quil it would be easy to develop into more and if she really didn't return how I felt we could at least be friends. Personally I didn't think it was a bad plan.

But then I come over to see her and Jake arguing and Jake was so close to changing I could tell and when I protected her and defended her she was s damn ungrateful. How dare she turn this on me as if I was the one who was in the wrong? In a split second it was like she could go from this caring and calming girl whose mere presence was like a breath of fresh air and then she would turn those condescending green eyes on me and it would evaporate, all of it. I stomped through the words irritated as I made my way back to Jacob's. Of course when I got there she'd probably be there to get Claire and everything would be awkward.

I just couldn't understand how she didn't see that I was only trying to help. Jacob really could have hurt her. Its not like I was being over protective or anything. I could see Jake's house and I took a deep breath as I stepped out of the woods to see Jake, Embry, Quil, and Claire on the porch. They were all talking and they seemed to stop as they seen me approaching. I looked around for Jess but she wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Where is she?" Embry's voice cut through my thoughts and I looked over at him a little confused for a moment. If she had never stopped by here then where the hell was she? I looked at Embry for a minute trying to decipher if they were playing one of their stupid little games.

"Has she not come here yet?" I asked carefully, my eyes roaming over all of their faces, searching for the smallest hint of a lie. But I was met back with blank stares at my question. "We got in an argument and kind of got separated. I would have thought she would have picked up Claire. I guess she went home." I shrugged. But how irresponsible could someone be to leave their little sister alone with these idiots?

I really didn't know Jess all that well though. I mean I knew some things about her from high school but as for seriously sitting down and getting to know her. I had no clue about anything like that.

"She wouldn't have gone home without Claire." Embry spoke up. Quil nodded in agreement as Claire hit him repetitively over the head with her wand. She had to have gone home then though I mean where else would she be? "Why would you even leave her in the woods she hasn't been here in years? Did you think she had a photographic memory?" Embry snapped. He was right. She hadn't been here in so long and I hadn't even considered that. I had just been so mad.

"Its not like I was really thinking rationally we were arguing for Christ sakes." I said defensively. Embry stood up then and glared down at me from the top step of the porch. His body was starting to shake and he turned on me, "So that makes it okay?" He asked. Jacob looked between us before butting in to the conversation. "Look she's probably fine, she'll find her way here. She couldn't have gotten that far. We could go look for her worse come to worse."

"This is all your fault anyway." I barked at Jacob and he looked at me confused and I knew he had said something because his lips had been moving furiously but my mind had blanked it out as I felt confusion sweep over me. I turned quickly looking back at the woods as the feeling of confusion and slight unease transformed into dread and fear. "Its her." I said quietly trying to concentrate on where the feeling was coming from. I knew that if the guys didn't have the whole super hearing thing going for them they sure as hell wouldn't have heard me. I stepped forward uneasily and I felt fear tremor up her spine. She was terrified. I started walking forward, my pace quickening and I could hear the guys following me and Quil going back into the house with Claire but everything was zoned in on Jess. I started pulling my shirt off and my jeans transforming into my wolf. It had been clawing at me attempting to break free to find her and now that it had, I was in a full sprint following her scent and an indescribable pull that connected us. She was lost and alone. I had left her lost and alone. This was all my fault. Thoughts scrambled around angrily in my head as Embry and Jacob followed close on my heels. Jacob sent a loud howl into the lonely night to alert the others.

I ran faster, as I could feel her fear growing, I was bobbing and weaving through trees each step that I took quicker than the last and I still wasn't fast enough. I could feel the burn racing into me but I couldn't stop. I needed to find her. It was as if my life depended on it.

A rancid odor assaulted my nostrils making my blood run cold. It was the smell of a vampire. My mind was connecting scenarios each worsening and making my wolf whimper. I've lost her. She's gone and its all my fault.

_You would feel if she died. _Embry reasoned.

It didn't matter though, it was like my wolf was torturing me as payback for how I treated her. I shouldn't have left her alone in the woods in the first place. F course it doesn't help that her temper seems to be just about as bad as mine, but still. I knew better, I knew what could roam these woods and she didn't. She had just been trying to get home. Her scent started coming in stronger and I barked loud racing down a hill fast. She was so close I could smell her. I knew she was near by.

I started up a small slope Jacob and Embry at my flanks. I tore through the forest like a tornado not caring what I was around or what I could be demolishing. I had one purpose. Find her. Find her. _Find her. _I almost slipped on a rock as I ran and I yelped twisting my paw but I kept going, ignoring the burn that made its way up my leg. She was priority I had to know if she was safe.

She had to be safe. She was mine and no matter what I would always make sure she was. This was one slip up. One argument and it would never happen again. _Yes it will _My inner wolf snarled and I knew it was true. She was determined, independent, and incredibly stubborn. Her sense of pride and self-worth were so through the roof that I knew there was no way we would be a docile non arguing couple like Sam and Emily. But thats what made her perfect for me. She wasn't like Rachel who even though she had a spark to her rarely argued with me. Not because she was afraid or anything it just never really happened.

Jess was different, if she thought she was right she would point it out. She was going to stand her ground no matter what. I didn't have to know her inside out to know that much, it was just clear to me. She balanced out the wolf not because she never argued with me and she knew how to calm me down all the time. She balanced the wolf because she knew how to pick her battles that worth fighting for. I remembered her in high school all legs and perfection. Girls had often not liked her out of a jealous insecurity and most guys were turned down flat on their ass when they tried to date her, but it was never because she was rude like I was or that she had a bad attitude like I did. It was because she was cynical and realistic and if she knew a relationship wasn't going to go somewhere she didn't bother with it. Thats what I needed. That balance.

I needed Jessamine and she didn't even know it and I highly doubt even if she did she would come running into my arms. She just wasn't the type. My legs were burning as my thoughts of her increased until we reached a small clearing right at the cliff where waves lapped at the cliff and there she was.

Her jeans were ripped and torn and she was shirtless leaving her in nothing but a bra. Rips of what used to be her shirt were wrapped around her wrists and around her eyes. I could see a gag of cloth in her mouth and she was breathing hard through her nose. Her hair was plastered to the sides of her face from the sweat that had been pouring off of her and I noticed writing across her stomach.

I sniffed the air and the bitter smell of blood was all I could smell. I felt my muscles tense and a growl irrupted from my throat. Jessamine yelped and turned blind to what was going on in front of her. Another smell of the blood hit me and I could tell it wasn't hers. It was closer to the blood of maybe a mountain lion. Someone had smeared animal blood across her abdomen and as I stepped closer letting the moonlight illuminate her skin I could see the words clearly. It read in scrawled letters. _I am coming. _A loud snarl and bark ripped through my throat and Jess stumbled back awkwardly.

Then everything happened at once. Almost as if in slow motion. The rocks at the edge of the cliff crumbled and almost as if everything was happening in slow motion she slipped back and a gurgled cry that was caught off by the gag between her lips tried to sound its way through her throat. I darted forward trying to bite onto her pant leg or anything that would save her but I clamped down on nothing and all I could do was watch as her body free fell through the air and with a hard smack she sunk deep into the water, disappearing from my view. _Jessamine._

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**Another chapter. I do update often at first because I feel like its very important to make sure the development of my characters begins and people can kind of see if they like the story so if your on the edge of not liking it give it a chance and if you do well great. (: Oh um please review review review. I love it. Hearing your thoughts on all of this really does bring a smile to my face and for those of you who has reviewed I can not thank you enough. It means so much to me honestly. Follow and favorites as well please (:**

**I love Paul. 3**


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